My 6 generation mini quilt

The five embroidered blocks were stitched by my great grandmother, Mary Angeline Park Hammer Born 1868 and died in 1938.

She handed the blocks down to my grandmother, Emma Elizabeth Hammer Saucier born 1896 and died in 1976. 

 My mother, Onetta (Sis) Alberta Saucier born December 1923 and died In March of 2017,  inherited them, she  gave them to me, Patricia (Patti) Ann Cardwell Tappel born 1952.

This will be handed down to my granddaughter Elizabeth (Lizzie) Norine Tappel 

born 2009, daughter of my son, Jeremy Bernard Tappel, born1977.

I pieced the quilt and hand quilted this during the COVID-19 quarantine. 

This is what we will call our 50th wedding anniversary celebration

• Well in 2020 there was this dang virus called COVID-19. It threw changes in almost every plan there was. Our 50th Wedding anniversary celebration was no exception.

Our Son in law and daughter found a beautiful cabin (house) in Banner Elk North Carolina.  It would be a first for all kids and grand kids to spend a week together 24/7. 

When we arrived grandma and grandpa came bearing gifts for the 3 little ones.

We enjoyed miniature golf, mask and all.

The front yard was a beautiful place to play games and in the evening deer came to the corn that was put out for them.

The river across from the front of the house gave us hours of fun, from rock stacking, fishing, splashing and nature walks.

The cousins enjoyed hours together, Alex helping the little ones cook.

There were also many games on their electronics, lots of Minecraft!!!

Then there was a trip to Watauga Lake in Tennessee. It is a beautiful lake made at the base of mountains. It features 105 miles of shore lines, 16 miles long and an average depth of 52 feet! The clarity of the water was amazing. 

We rented 2 pontoon boats and enjoyed a day of picnicking, swimming and family time!

We were rock sitting at Elk river across from the house.

The younger generations went rafting at  High Mountain Expeditions.  We were the photographers and drove along the river for miles. 

There was some planned photo ops in the front yard!

More cousin cooking!

I must say playing UNO with a 5 year old was one of the best card experiences I've had. He was hilarious and so sharp!

The kids enjoyed an hour or so Gem mining  at Sugar Creek Gem Mining.

The goofy grand kids!

It was then time for family photos. Our daughter in law Lori did an amazing job, running into the pictures, after she discovered she left her automatic clicker at home in Missouri!

All our grand kids in one photo.

 Our HEARTS  are full. It was the best quick trip anniversary gift ever. 

Thank you to Sarah and Rusty, Jeremy and Lori, and the 5 GRANDS.  It will be hard to top this trip!

It’s our Golden anniversary

Can we take a break from damn COVID-19?

Saturday, May 23 was our 50th wedding anniversary.  The kids had planned a big celebration for  us. Damn COVID-19.

The party supplies await.  It has been rescheduled for later this summer, pending on a lot yet.

First thing we did at the stroke of midnight was to look at our wedding albums and all the notes I had kept. We looked at friends, cousins, family that came. Many not with us now. We looked at the list of gifts we got. Funny the normal money gift back then was $5 to $10. Grandparents gave $20. I thought a gift of ashtrays was hilarious.

After breakfast, we went to the garden. We weeded and hilled 4 rows of potatoes.

Next after tilling the garden, we planted 30+  tomato plants and a dozen or more pepper plants.

We then took our second Can Am ride through the neighborhood.

After a shower and quick dinner we were settled in our recliners for some Grand Ole Opry on line. We might just be turning into old folks.

Here’s to many more great years working together, and a BIG party later in the year.

We are blessed. Life is good.

COVID Day 48-57

Day 48

Wednesday April 29, 2020

Missouri 7,425 Cases of COVID-19.

I made sourdough English muffins for breakfast.

Dinner was chicken noodle soup.

Day 49

Thursday April 30, 2020

Day 50

Friday May 1, 2020

We entertained ourselves by digging zoysia up and transplanting it before breakfast. Therefore we had brunch about 11:30. I made us an omelet with fresh asparagus from the garden.

We planted cantaloupe and okra today.

For dinner I picked turnip greens and cooked them with some ham. Bernie fried wild turkey and fried biscuits, with sugar and cinnamon, drizzle with maple syrup.

Day 51

Saturday May 2, 2020

Forget damn virus. We left the back 40. Went to visit Terry and Debby in 

Loose Creek. We had lunch together. The guys did some target practicing with their muzzle loaders. Debby and I went on a nice long mule ride through  several farms.

On our way home we passed  up $1.35 gas, got near home and it was $1.46.

Ordered Pizza Haus, for dinner. 

Day 52 Sunday May 3

Magically an antique (and very rusty) sewing machine appeared in my flower bed. Sarah hinted it was there, and I figured out it was Jeremy! 

I made sourdough peach sweet rolls. The majority of them were sent to the “other” Tappel house

Day 53 Monday May 4

Missouri is  to starting  opening up today.

Day 54 Tuesday May 5

Bernie shot a 25 lb turkey and was home by 7:30 AM

I made turnip greens with cornmeal dumplings for dinner.

Day 55 Wednesday May 6

Hair color day! First time in 2 1/2 months. Tried to go to Kohl’s, they weren’t open. Neither was the nail salon. 

Fresh lettuce and onions from the garden.

Bernie finished multiple pairs of H hinges. 

Day 56 Thursday May 7

Made sourdough cheese crackers and Pasole for dinner.

Finished the quilt I started when this virus stuff started.

Day 57 Friday May 8

We went to town and ate inside Echo! Service only at every other table.

Today was Brady’s last official day of High School! Senior 2020!

COVID Day 41-47

Day 41

April 22, 2020

Nationwide there are 852,703 cases. Missouri has 6137 cases with Cole county reporting 45 cases.

Bright and early today, Aaron our cabinet guy brought out my new countertop for the  bathroom upstairs. It’s two sinks and countertop all in one. He was out of here with chocolate chip cookies, deer sausage and money by 9:10.

I made bacon and egg sandwiches before Bernie went to deliver steel to Terry.

I sewed most of the afternoon.

Fixed pork and turnip kraut for dinner along with sourdough cornbread. It was delicious 

Day 42

April 23, 2020

Nationwide 889,568

Missouri 5,941

Cole county 45

The plumber woke us up shortly before 8 AM. He was here to hook up our new sinks in the  bathroom upstairs. 

Breakfast was bacon and eggs sandwich.

I made homemade sourdough pizza. I cut the recipe in half and it was still too much dough. Bernie cut grass after dinner. I trimmed a few more cedar trees up.

Day 43

April 24, 2020

Missouri reports 6625, the spike from yesterday is due to a computer error of one lab not being included. 

On May 4, the economy will, open back up.

Bernie repaired his power washer while I worked in the garden.

After dinner he lit the brush pile. 

Dinner was leftovers. I made fried pies, 3 cherry and 2 peach!

Day 44

April 25, 2020

At 12:01 pm, the county opened back up. However the governor still has the  state shut down until next week.

Salad and leftover spaghetti for dinner.

Day 45

April 26, 2020

Missouri 6997

Cole county 50

Watched mass at 10:30 on Facebook from St. Stanislaus.

I fried my one mushroom and a hand full of asparagus for breakfast.

Bernie coated rest of the iron spindles for our staircase.

We went to the lake to watch Jeremy , Alex and Lizzie fish.

I made potato salad and key lime dessert for dinner. We  grilled pork steaks.

Day 46

April 27, 2020

Nationwide 1,008,571

Missouri 7,171

Cole 50

During the night Bernie got a text for a customer wanting spindles. He called in his Steel order early. After breakfast he went to pick it up. He spent the afternoon combining 2 power washers into one good one. He then worked on spindles.

I worked sewing 7 inch paper-pieced quilt blocks.

At 4 o’clock, I went to Trinkleins greenhouse, where Lori and Lizzie meet me. We spent over an hour picking out plants. It’s a tradition for Lizzie and I to shop for bedding plants.

At the 3 o’clock  governors news conference, he announced Missouri will reopen May 4th. 

While Bernie was frying deer steaks, Judy Braun  brought us a jar of homemade horseradish. Jeremy and Alex stopped in about the same time.

Day 47

Tuesday April 28 

Ham hash for breakfast.

I did a load of laundry, planted all my plants. It was hot 84 degrees. Bernie worked in the shops all day.

I warmed up Bbq pork steaks and pulled out potato salad. I cook some cooked apples. After dinner a storm blew in, the temperature dropped to 58 as the rain settled in.

The garden is looking pretty good. 

COVID Day 34-Day 40

Day 34

April 15, 2020 Tax day!

Nationwide there are 641,919 cases. Missouri is reporting 4,895 cases, and our county has 38 cases.

It was a pretty quiet day. We slept late, so that made breakfast happen about lunch time. We made an omelet with ham, onions, and fresh asparagus from the garden. Of course our toast had Redbud jelly. 

Dinner was salad and ham sandwiches.

Bernie started forging the pickets for our inside stair rail.

I dropped off a bag of licorice with a note to the kids that we missed and love them.

Day 35

Nationwide there are 667,228 cases. Missouri has 5,111 cases. Cole county reports 41 cases.

Corn cakes and bacon for breakfast. Dinner was deer fajitas.

I went to Walmart, parked in designated space, called pharmacy and they brought my prescriptions out. 

Day 36

Friday April 17, 2020

Today’s statistics are, Nationwide 706,880, Missouri 5,283, Cole county 42 Cases.

A little rain during the night made the garden look so good!

I made ham hash for breakfast and I sliced an orange and sugared a few strawberries. Dinner was delicious beef pot roast with potatoes, carrots and an onion. I served that with steamed broccoli and fried apples. Dessert was lemon mousse. Yep, I outdid myself!

Bernie worked in the shop. He made a daffodil for a customer. It’s their anniversary, #6 is represented by iron. So an iron flower it is.

 I worked on a red, white, and blue quilt again. 

Day 37

Saturday April 18, 2020

Cole county stands at 43 Cases.

Great weather 65 degrees 

I did one load of laundry, dusted,  and sewed a little. We then took the can-am to Jeremy’s. After that we came home and trimmed and cut trees. 

I started a sour dough starter.

Bernie grilled deer candy and Hebrew national hot dogs. I made chef salads.

We watched a grand ole Opry via a live feed on Facebook.

Day 38

April 19, 2020

Nationwide 752,960 cases.Missouri shows 5,667 cases. Florida has 260,306 Cases.

Cole county shows 45 Cases.

We listened to Mass from our church at 10:30. Whitney, our neighbor who is teaching school in Spain, was listening to the same mass. How cool was that!

I made sour dough cherry rolls. OMG they were delicious. Jeremy and Alex came over, so I sent warm rolls with them.

We dug up Zoysia grass and took it over for Jeremy’s new front yard. We visited with neighbors from their yards, Carol, Fred and Diane, and the Greens who were fishing at the lake.

I burnt and  raked  leaves. I also trimmed trees, the cedar trees are never ending. I got my elephant ears planted.

I made Danish twist tonight. Jennifer, a blogger did some lettering on a board for me. She bartered a loaf of bread! 

Day 39

Monday

April 20, 2020

Today’s cases are, Nationwide 780,330, Missouri 5807, Cole 45.

I delivered the Danish twist, the barter part of my deal for a picture board Jennifer Boyd personalized for me. It was a win, win situation!

I put on my mask, (without lipstick) and walked into the hospital, where inside the door my temperature was taken. After I passed that test and a multitude of questions, I was given a sticker and directed to the mammogram department. My test was clean! I’m free for another 6 months.

Day 40

Tuesday 

April 21, 2020

Busy day, Bernie went turkey hunting at 5 AM. He was back at 8 AM with a  22 pound turkey with 4 beards. After cleaning the turkey, he went to town and picked up over $900 of steel. I stayed home and cooked link sausage for breakfast. 

Bernie then went to Jeremy’s for a couple hours. I cleaned out the big bathroom cabinets, vacuumed upstairs and down, washed a load of rugs and a load of car wash towels. 

Dinner was spaghetti, salads, French bread.

After dinner I baked chocolate chip cookies.